Evanston Public Library’s 101 Great Books for Kids 2023: Folk Tales, Fairy Tales, and Religious Tales

October 30, 2023

Fairytales, Folktales, and Religious Tales

 

20. The Amazing and True Story of Tooth Mouse Pérez by Ana Cristina Herreros, ill. Violeta Lópiz, translated by Sara Lissa Paulson

Losing teeth is “the gift of growing up.” See how the Spanish Tooth Mouse tradition has changed over the years and how it connects to the Tooth Fairy. Call Number: JPicture Herre.A


 

21. Ancient Night by David Bowles, ill. David Álvarez

Every night Rabbit fills the moon with delicious aguamiel, but when clever and foolish Opossum steals the liquid for himself, the two must work together to make things right. A smart mixture of multiple Mesoamerican legends. Call Number: x398.2089974 Nahua Bowle.D


 

22. Eagle Drums by Nasuġraq Rainey Hopson

Piŋa is confronted by a giant golden eagle and given a choice: Join the eagle or suffer the same fate as his dead brothers. A marvelous retelling of the Inuit story of the origins of the Messenger Feast. Call Number: J Hopso.N


 

23. One Chicken Nugget by Tadgh Bentley

A classic folktale is updated with the help of monsters and fast food. Celeste bets Frank that he can’t double the number of chicken nuggets he eats every day for a month. At first it seems easy, but then the math kicks in… Call Number: JPicture Bentl.T


 

24. The Rabbi and His Donkey by Susan Tarcov, ill. Diana Renjina

A clever fable about a Rabbi who discovers the answer to an age old question: Is it better to get somewhere fast or to let your mind travel at its own rate? Call Number: JPicture Tarco.S


 

25. Simon and the Better Bone by Corey R. Tabor

An old Aesop fable gets an upgrade. When Simon the dog spots another pup in a pond with a bone better than his own, jealousy gets the better of him. Call Number: JPicture Tabor.C


 

26. The Skull: A Tyrolean Folktale by Jon Klassen

A runaway girl encounters a lonely skull living in a beautiful home and the two strike up a fast friendship. A clever and touching tale adapted for a modern audience. Call Number: x398.20943 Klass.J


 

27. The Song That Called Them Home by David A. Robertson, ill. Maya McKibbin

Inspired by the stories of the Indigenous communities of Turtle Island, two siblings are lured by the inescapable song of the Memekwesewak, until the person who loves them best can call them home again. Call Number: JPicture Rober.D


 

28. Stories of the Islands by Clar Angkasa

Three classic Indonesian folktales are reinterpreted through a feminist lens into beautifully rendered comics. From “Keong Mas” and “Bawang Merah Bawang Putih” to “Timun Mas,” old stories gain new life. Call Number: JGraphic Angka.C

 

Return to the full list of 101 Great Books for Kids here.

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